The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-26
woman's suffrage in g.n..s


state OF Kansas 9,great experiment was
tried. Woman vas given the same right as
man 70 throYrner vote and have it counted.
me hiLsfsas elections undoubtedly furnished
t1eSfairest test Of the new principle in poll
: tics that has ever been witnessed in this
country or the world. Unfortunately it has
been very difficult to obtain an accurate, i'm
partial statement of the result of this expert
ment. The fact that the practical workings
of it were different in different places has of
itself made the statements that have come
from Kansas conflicting. Then, too, the
disingenuous methods Of collecting news
employed by some papers, has made the re-
suit Of the experiment still more dubious.
Before the election an agent of leading st.
Louis paper went through the State con-
tracing in the large towns for dispatches
casting ridicule on woman suffrage and on
the women who voted OF course it was
very easy to ma mercenarles who were will
ing to send any sort Of despatch if they
could be paid for such work So it is not
surprising that the first accounts of that
election that found their way to the East
were very conflicting. But now more trust
worthy descriptions than were contained in
the first dispatches are made public. The
writers are men of character and position,
who undoubtedly have endeavored to make
their statements as impartial as possible.
prof. W. II. Carruth, of the Kansas State
University, writes to the Woman's Journal
letter which contains the best statement
yet made of the workings of woman suffrage
in his State 81 believe" he says, 1--WE are
all satisfied with the outcome, and l believe
the Republican party Of the State may well
be, and that the amendment two years from
now, giving full suffrage, will be carried by
large majority. Especially will thislbe the
case II the suffrage can be given with an
educational qualification" Professor Car
ruth dwells less on novel scenes at the polls,
and on the very absurd and spiteful faction
al or social quarrel in which the women of
Leayenworth INDUCED, than ON those more
important features of the election,-its re-
suits SO far as it concerned the general char
acter Of the men elected. 1.-THE chief effect
Of the women's voting" he says, twas seen
in the quality of the candidates. Better men
than ever before were nominated by all par
ties After the nominations in Lawrence
the women held mass meeting, at which
both candidates for mayor were Intercepted
as to their position ON saloons. brothels and
gambling houses, on suffrage, and other
points," In this case both of the men gave
straight and satisfactory an3wers, but the
women showed that they had been intelli-
gent observers of the course OF politics nv
giving their support TO the party which had
showed itself interested in the reforms
which they wished to carry Four-ffths of
them voted the Republican ticket, largely
because it was the Republican ticket. and
for the fourth time in twenty years Repub-
lican mayor was elected in Lawrence. Pro-
lessor Carruth admits that with this excel
lent result there were some things that were
not SO satisfactory, and he frankly says that
while "of the white women, the great ma
Jority were the best women in town, proper
tlonately larger number of colored women
voted than Of white, due chiefly to the crack
OF the party whip" A very important fea-
ture Of the experiment was the presence Of
women at the caucuses. Professor Carruth
says that at the Lawrence Republican city
convention there were five women delegates
and mo smoking" When it came to the NOM
ination Of constables and justices of the peace
constitutional officers, for whom women
may not vote, the women delegates refused
to ballot Their old-line colleagues assured
them that the convention was not touched
by the law, and that sit would be all right"
but they persisted, saying they did not think
it would be right. A young delegate re-
marked that it was the "frst time in history
that question of conscience had been
raised in political convention"
Another account Of the experiment is furn-
ished to The Congregationalist by Rev. r.
Cooley, ID. d. He confirms the testimony of
Professor Carruth:
The great argument in favor OF the bill was that
ltwould strengthen tho friends OF the prohibitory
law, as the obstacles to the enforcement of that
law are mainly in the cities. In most places the
woman voted In large numbers. This was especial
~ True In towns where the temperance issue was
the women who voted were mostly those of hieh,
est character and greatest refinement. 1t was a
very common fear that the low and vile would
vote, whne lne pure and refined would abstain
But the reverse Of this was true MANY women
who did not believe in the law and did NOT desire
the privileges sun sad; Snce it is the law, it is
our duty TO vote" One thing was noticeable The
women treated the ballot as a matter ~ con-
science. They wanted TO do some good with their
votes. AS a consequence, lall parties were more
careful In the selection Of candidates Another
gain was a more orderly election. Even where
the excitement was most intense, there was no
violence. In no single case was a woman hinder
ed or rudely spoken TO. The toughest and noisest
crowd would part asunder, and stand back with
the utmost respect whenever a lady came TO vote.
This is the testimony Of the most response
BILE persons who have yet spoken. 1t may
be that in their friendship for the cause
Professor Carruth and DR.. Cooley have seen
the experiment in rosy light; but their
testimony is certainly better than that OF the
irresponsible dispatches sent out on the eve